Wentworth Metro
The Wentworth Metro (colloquially known as the Met) is a rapid transit system in Wentworth, Enderron, operated by Transport for Wentworth, the municipal government-owned transport authority. It serves all 12 municipal boroughs of the city. The system is the oldest, busiest and largest in Enderron, and among the oldest continuously-operating rapid transit systems in the world, opening in 1934 with full-scale construction extending back to 1927. Construction of the Wentworth Metro was prompted by a study commissioned by the Wentworth municipal government in 1925 in order to find solutions to the increasing road congestion problem caused by the city's fast-growing economy. The first line opened in 1934, followed by little expansion until the construction of the second and third lines in the 1950s. During the 1960s and 1970s the system fell into a dilapidated state as a result of a lack of funding and poor bureaucratic decision-making, and ridership dropped significantly. The metro has seen substantial growth since the early 1990s, especially in the years leading up to Expo 96 and in the 2010s to cope with the metropolitan region's rapid population increase. The network still cannot adequately meet the city's mass transit needs, especially in the Eastern Coast region, where fewer than 10 percent of the network's stations are located. The metro system has a very high daily and annual ridership, rivalling that of mega cities around the world while serving a city with a population of just over 5 million. More than 2.9 million trips are made on an average weekday. The Wentworth Metro is one of the most profitable metro systems in the world, with a farebox recovery ratio of 106%. Since 1995, the Obsidian contactless smart card fare-payment technology has streamlined commuting and fares in the network by integrating the metro with other forms of public transport in the city. History The Wentworth municipal government first flagged the need for an underground rapid transit system in the city in the 1920s, largely due to rapidly increasing congestion on the city's roads (mostly built in the previous century), and the then-radical stance of the government predicting the rise of public transportation. The Wentworth Metro's planning and construction thus predates many rapid transit networks worldwide by multiple decades. Following disagreements over the alignment of the first line and a lack of funding, construction, which began in August 1927, was halted completely by 1929, with approximately one kilometre of cut-and-cover tunnelling completed with one station constructed. Construction recommenced in 1932 and steadily increased in work rate with an estimated completion date of late 1934. The Rawson Line opened on 26 October 1934, with seven stations. This initial section of track formed the entire network for 14 years, before the opening of University station (coinciding with the establishment of the University of Wentworth) in 1948. Frequent disagreements occurred over the alignments of new lines and extensions, with the second line, the Swan Line, opening in 1955, nearly 21 years after the Rawson Line was finished. However, the first stage of the loop Circle Line (operating in a C-shape) was constructed with minimal disruption and disagreement, successfully opening on schedule in 1959. The metro met a major funding obstacle soon after with the Enderronian economy suffering from a heavy downturn over the next few years. By the end of the 1960s, it was observed that the metro system was quite out of date. The atmosphere of the stations was uninviting, difficult to navigate, and with few passenger amenities on the platforms. Trains were infrequent, sporadic and frequently suffered from breakdowns and delays. The trains themselves were dilapidated and dim, and were covered with graffiti and litter. The rolling stock had not received any upgrades save for the Goninan stock in 1957 and minor refurbishments to the 1934 Comeng 1 and 1948 Comeng 2 stock in the early 1960s. A massive reconstruction, modernisation and expansion plan was laid out in 1971, once the economy had slowly recovered. Phase 1 of the recovery plan involved renovating the entire network and rolling stock, with new branding and signage. This involved ordering new Comeng 3 trains. Phase 2 involved the extension of existing lines and opening new ones in under-serviced regions. In 1973, the remainder of the Circle Line was finally opened, completing the loop, followed by the first stage of the Hounslow Line in 1975. Network There are currently 12 lines in operation, with lines and services being denoted numerically as well as by official names and characteristic colours, which are used as a visual aid for better distinction on station signage and on the exterior of trains, in the form of a coloured block or belt. Most tracks in the Wentworth Metro system are served by a single service; thus "Line X" usually refers both to the physical line and its service. }}| } | 1''' }} | | Hespefield (Crecimento) | Parliament (Fernleigh) | 1934 | | 12 | |- | }| } | '''2 }} | | Harbourfront (Bayswater) | Wharton Pavilion (Jing'an) | 1955 | | 9 | |- | }| } | 3''' }} | | colspan="2"|Loop line; late-night services terminate at Shinjuku | 1959 | 1973 | 14 | |- | }| } | '''4 }} | | TBA (Newhaven) | Bexley Airport T3 (Hounslow) | 1975 | | | |- | }| } | 5''' }} | | Greenhills Beach (Amsterdam) | TBA (TBA) | 1992 | | | |- | }| } | '''6 }} | | TBA (TBA) | TBA (TBA) | 1990 | | | |- | }| } | 7''' }} | | TBA (TBA) | TBA (TBA) | 1993 | | | |- | }| } | '''8 }} | | TBA (TBA) | TBA (TBA) | 2001 | | | |- | }| } | 9''' }} | | TBA (TBA) | TBA (TBA) | 1996 | | | |- | }| } | '''10 }} | | TBA (TBA) | TBA (TBA) | 2009 | | | |- | }| } | 11 }} | | TBA (TBA) | TBA (TBA) | 2015 | | | |- | }| } | 12 }} | | TBA (TBA) | TBA (TBA) | 2017 | | | |} Rolling stock There are currently five types of electric multiple unit rolling stock operating on the network. All run on the standard gauge. Historically, Wentworth Metro rolling stock has been manufactured by four corporations: Commonwealth Engineering, A Goninan & Co, Siemens AG and Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Rolling stock is categorised into "stocks" (i.e. by manufacturer). Each type is also designated a numerical name based on its generation (e.g. the third iteration of train built by Kawasaki is designated Kawasaki 3). Former rolling stock Ticketing Since 1995, Wentworth Metro has used the Obsidian contactless smartcard ticket system, replacing an old system of magnetic strip and paper tickets. There are five different types of reusable Obsidian cards, denoted by unique colours: Adult (black), Child (green), Pensioner (yellow), Concession (blue) and Student (silver). Fares The Obsidian card uses a distance-based fare system. Note: *'Other' refers to Child, Pensioner and Concession cards. *Students with a valid Student Obsidian card and a proof of ID can use the Wentworth Metro network free of charge during school days between 6am and 9pm. *A $2.00 cap applies to all tickets (except single trip) on Sundays, and for pensioner cards any day of the week. As a distance based system, Obsidian card users are required to tap on and tap off on all modes to ensure the correct fare is charged. If a user does not correctly tap off after tapping on, a default fare will be charged, which is equal to the maximum fare on that mode of travel. However, a lower default fare applies if it is not possible to reach the maximum fare on the route for which the tap on took place. On Sundays, the default fare is $2.50. The default fare will be charged after a time-out period of five hours from initial tap on or if the user changes modes or taps on at a gated station.